The Day Everything Changed

The palace bells continued to ring.

Elara stood before the mirror, staring at the fourteen-year-old girl reflected in it.

Seven years.

She had been given seven years.

Seven years to change everything.

Her fingers tightened around the violet ribbon at her neck.

No more trusting blindly.

No more letting others decide her fate.

"Lady Elara?"

The maid's voice pulled her back.

"Are you feeling alright?"

Elara turned.

"I'm fine"

The maid smiled.

"Your father is waiting downstairs. He said we must leave soon for the palace"

The palace.

Elara's stomach tightened.

She remembered this day perfectly.

In her first life, she had been excited.

She had spent hours choosing her dress because she believed the Crown Prince might notice her.

How foolish she had been.

This time, she chose the simplest elegant dress available.

Violet silk.

A modest pearl necklace.

No extravagant jewelry.

When she entered the dining room, her father immediately looked up.

"Elara, you're late"

"I'm sorry, Father"

Marquis Damien Valemont studied her.

Something about his daughter seemed different.

"You look unusually serious today"

Elara smiled softly.

"I didn't sleep well"

It was a lie.

She couldn't exactly tell him that she had just been executed seven years in the future.

Her father nodded.

"Stay close to your mother at the palace. There will be many important families there"

"I will"

Elara lowered her eyes.

Then she remembered something.

A small detail that had seemed meaningless in her first life.

Today, Duke Lucien Ardent would arrive at the palace.

And there would be an assassination attempt.

She remembered the victim.

A royal advisor.

The attempt would fail, but the resulting chaos would create the first secret alliance between several nobles.

Elara looked toward the window.

She could prevent it.

But should she?

Changing the future too quickly could make things worse.

She needed information first.

The Royal Palace

The carriage stopped before the enormous golden gates.

Elara stepped outside.

The palace looked exactly as she remembered.

Beautiful.

Majestic.

And filled with people who had once watched her die.

Her mother gently touched her shoulder.

"Stay calm"

Elara smiled.

"I am"

But her eyes were already scanning the crowd.

House Rosenthal.

House Devereux.

The royal guards.

And then—

A black carriage stopped near the palace entrance.

The Ardent crest was displayed on its door.

Elara's heartbeat changed.

Lucien.

The carriage door opened.

A young man stepped out.

He was only twenty-two, but his presence was intimidating.

Black hair.

Sharp gray eyes.

Tall and perfectly composed.

He adjusted his gloves before looking toward the palace.

Then his eyes moved across the crowd.

And stopped.

On her.

Elara froze.

Lucien stared at her for several seconds.

His expression didn't change.

Elara quickly looked away.

"Don't react."

She took a breath.

"He's only looking at you because you're staring at him."

Then she heard a voice beside her.

"Lady Valemont?"

Elara turned.

Lucien was standing directly in front of her.

Much closer than she expected.

She instinctively stepped back.

Lucien noticed.

One corner of his mouth lifted.

"Did I frighten you?"

"No"

"Then why did you step away?"

Elara's cheeks warmed.

"I was simply making room"

"For me?"

His tone was calm.

But there was something teasing underneath it.

Elara narrowed her eyes.

"You seem rather confident, Your Grace"

Lucien's eyebrow rose.

"You're more interesting than I remember"

Elara's heart stopped.

"Remember?"

She stared at him.

"What did you say?"

Lucien looked amused.

"I said you're more interesting than I expected"

Elara exhaled quietly.

She had almost panicked.

Lucien leaned slightly closer.

"Unless you heard something else?"

Their eyes met.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Elara could feel her face getting warmer.

Then a familiar voice interrupted them.

"Elara!"

She turned.

Rosaline was approaching with a bright smile.

Elara's expression immediately became neutral.

Rosaline reached for her hand.

"I've been looking everywhere for you"

Elara gently pulled her hand away.

Rosaline blinked.

"Is something wrong?"

"No"

Elara smiled.

"I'm simply not used to being touched without permission"

Rosaline's smile faltered.

Lucien looked away, hiding what appeared to be a small smile.

Elara noticed.

"You find this amusing?"

Lucien looked at her.

"Very"

"Why?"

"Because you're quite terrifying for someone who just told me she wasn't frightened"

Elara's eyes widened.

Then Lucien walked away.

She stared after him.

"Was he teasing me?"

For some reason...

She couldn't stop the small smile appearing on her lips.

Inside the palace, the nobles gathered for the royal banquet.

Elara watched everyone carefully.

Everything seemed familiar.

Almost too familiar.

Then she saw a servant carrying a silver tray.

Her heart stopped.

The assassination attempt.

It was about to happen.

Elara looked toward the royal advisor.

Then toward the servant.

Something was wrong.

The servant's shoes were muddy.

The palace servants wore clean uniforms.

And there was a faint red mark around his wrist.

A hidden tattoo.

The Crimson Order.

Elara's blood ran cold.

"They're already here."

She turned toward Lucien.

He was standing across the ballroom.

And strangely—

He was already looking at the same servant.

Their eyes met.

Neither spoke.

But in that instant, Elara realized something terrifying.

Maybe Lucien already knew.

And maybe...

He had been fighting this conspiracy long before she ever died.

To be continued...

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